Watermelon Dreams

Prey

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

JUNE 28, 2019

Olivia’s dreams about watermelon tree, her grandmother’s farm and strange creatures made her confused, curious and nostalgic at the same time. Her childhood memories were being mixed with something supernatural. Her dreams were so vivid sometimnes it made her think it was real. Whenever she woke up, a smile would plaster on her lips but at the same time she find it odd. Why did she keep having those dreams?

Ngunit ibibigay nya ang lahat maging panaginip lamang ang sitwasyon nya nang sumunod na magising sya sa isang kulungang yari sa makakapal na kahoy.
Sinubukan nyang buksan ang mga kahoy na rehas ngunit selyado ito nang makapal na kadena.

Puno ng balete at mga halaman ang nakikita nya sa labas. Pamilyar ang bulaklak ng gumamelang natatanaw nya sa gilid. Nasa likod sya ng kubo nina Lucinda.

Anong binabalak gawin sa kanya ng magkapatid? Hostage ba sya ng mga ito at hihingi ng malaking halaga kapalit ng kalayaan nya? Papatayin ba sya ng mga ito kapag tumanggi ang pamilya nya?

Kilala nya ang pamilya. They’d give up all of their possessions to save her. She wished it was really that simple. Mas gugustuhin nyang ransom money ang habol ng mga ito. What if it’s something else?

Naalala nya ang mapupulang mata ni Lucinda at ang antisipasyon sa mukha ng mga taong nakamasid sa kanya bago mawalan ng malay. Guni- guni lamang ba iyon?

“Pakawalan nyo ako!!” Kahit alam nyang wala iyong maitutulong sa kanya, sinubukan pa rin nyang sumigaw at baka may maawa sa kanya. “Lucinda! Lucio!” Walang sumagot kagaya ng inasahan nya.
She tried to kick the wooden cage with full force but it didn’t budge.

Paano ba sya napunta sa ganitong kalagayan? Napakagat- labi na lamang sya nang magsimulang pumatak ang mga luha nya. Naging reckless ba sya? Napabayaan ba nya ang sarili kaya pati kaligtasan nya ay hindi nya naisip?

Olivia desperately wanted to get away from her captors, but she was helpless. No one would come to her rescue. No one knew where she was.

Was that how Victoria felt when she was imprisoned by a psycopath? But Olivia knew in her mind that she was dealing with a different kind of monsters. Aling Gracia’s red eyes and sharp fangs flashed on her mind.

She wiped her tears with her sleeves. She had to find a way to get out of that place.

Olivia carefully examined the enclosure if there’s a way out of it. She didn’t have much time left. It’s almost night time.

Kung totoo man ang mga nakasalamuha nyang mabubuting nilalang sa panaginip, iyon ang sana’y magkatotoo. Gusto pa nyang mabuhay. Marami pa syang nais gawin.

Sinubukan nyang sipain paulit-ulit ang pinto kahit sumakit pa ang mga binti nya. Napahinto sya nang may maamoy na usok. Nagmula ito sa isang matayog na balete. Napansin nyang may baga sa puno na syang naglilikha ng usok.

At first, Olivia thought that the tree was on fire but the glowing ember was moving. Then she noticed a very large man with a dirty unkempt long hair sitting on a branch casually smoking.

Nanlamig si Olivia nang marealized kung ano ang nakita nya. Bahagya syang napaatras. Unti- unti ring kumalat ang dilim sa paligid. Ito ba ang sinasabi ni Lucinda? Na hindi na sya makakaalis dahil kukunin sya ng kapreng ito? Isa ba syang alay ng mga tagabaryo?

Lalo syang napaatras nang bumuga mula sa malaking tabako nito ang kapre. Imbes na pataas, papunta sa gawi ni Olivia ang usok. Agad syang lumayo sa pinto.

It was usesless because her back hit the wooden wall. She didn’t know what would happen but she anticipated the worst. Death.

To her surprise, the thick metal chain suddenly shattered into pieces and the door sprung open.